Saturday, June 26, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Katkhel.
The katkhel (kathi — a stick; khel — dance) dance is a stick dance popularly played during Holi festival by Kunbis of north Ratnagiri. The traditional dress of the performers consists of Maratha type turban secured over the head with a red-bordered dhoti tied crosswise its loose ends fluttering over the back; a shirt with long sleeves covers the trunk, and across the chest a dhoti with red border is crossed and knotted at the back; a sadi of red or blue border is wrapped by the dancer over his dhoti or pyjama with a number of folds round the waist so that the thighs are entirely covered with the border of the sadi. They fasten chains of jingles at their ankles. In their hands they hold a pair of tipris and a bunch of white fibres, which sway with the movements of the tipris and add to the grace of the dance. A mrdang and a pair of cymbals are the only instruments used.
The formation, as a rule, is circular, members standing in pairs and facing each other. Only in davan and bhilkavada they move generally, in an anti-clockwise direction, keeping time with a pair of tipris held in the hands. Some of the movements, though more vigorous and quick, resemble those of the tipri dance. The beginning is always in a slow tempo and it has to be so, since they are moving back to back. When a line is being repeated, the speed increases and to facilitate free movement they take a zigzag course. They once strike the tipris against each other and then strike them with those of the advancing member. At times they squat and turn about keeping time with their strikes to the beat of the drum. In davan they move in a figure eight; in bhilkavada they pass under one another, the arms being chained.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Mahalakshmi Dance.
Mahalakshmi Dance.
Another dance of the ecstatic kind is the Mahalaxmi dance better known as ghdgar phunkne and is performed only at the time of Mahalaksmi worship. [On the eighth of the bright half of Asvina, during the first five years of her wedding, the young wife, as may be the family custom has to worship the goddess Mahalaksmi.] During night as a part of the worship ritual each girl (worshipper) holds a ghdgar (a round water-pot narrow at the neck), in her hands, makes a rhythmic musical sound by blowing across the mouth of the ghagar and starts dancing before goddess. During the dance one of the girls starts blowing and dancing with greater animation than the rest, and presently swings her hands and is seized with the power of the goddess. Others stop dancing and the 'possessed' dancer is plied with questions about the 'unknown' by her friends which the goddess in her is believed to answer.
Another dance of the ecstatic kind is the Mahalaxmi dance better known as ghdgar phunkne and is performed only at the time of Mahalaksmi worship. [On the eighth of the bright half of Asvina, during the first five years of her wedding, the young wife, as may be the family custom has to worship the goddess Mahalaksmi.] During night as a part of the worship ritual each girl (worshipper) holds a ghdgar (a round water-pot narrow at the neck), in her hands, makes a rhythmic musical sound by blowing across the mouth of the ghagar and starts dancing before goddess. During the dance one of the girls starts blowing and dancing with greater animation than the rest, and presently swings her hands and is seized with the power of the goddess. Others stop dancing and the 'possessed' dancer is plied with questions about the 'unknown' by her friends which the goddess in her is believed to answer.
Radha dance.
Radha dance.
In Simga days at many a place in south of the district are found Radha troupes giving display of a musical dance at every house, and collecting posta. These troupes comprise the central figure of the Radha, a dancer boy dressed in an upper class woman's attire, and the leader singer who generally uses tals. The Radha has cals tied at her ankle. Persons to play on dholki, daph, tuntune and at times vina, and the Sankasura are the other accompanists. In some places, Sankasura dances with Radha, while in some places the leader of the group comes forward and dances with Radha when occasion arsies. In the starting movements the Radha starts shuffling her feet forward, the jingling sounds of the cals perfectly harmonizing with other accompaniments. As she advances bit by bit, the right hand is fully stretched forward and left one is bent at the elbow, the palms describing gracefully circuits to resemble the movements of a creeper caused by a gentle breeze. After a few inches of space have thus been covered, the dancer rotates round herself from the right to the left, and with a light graceful jump brings this initial movement to a close. The dancer and the leader-singer then sing a line which is repeated in chorus by the group. There is no foot-work while the two sing, but when the line is repeated in chorus, the dancer tries to convey the contents by movements and expressions
In Simga days at many a place in south of the district are found Radha troupes giving display of a musical dance at every house, and collecting posta. These troupes comprise the central figure of the Radha, a dancer boy dressed in an upper class woman's attire, and the leader singer who generally uses tals. The Radha has cals tied at her ankle. Persons to play on dholki, daph, tuntune and at times vina, and the Sankasura are the other accompanists. In some places, Sankasura dances with Radha, while in some places the leader of the group comes forward and dances with Radha when occasion arsies. In the starting movements the Radha starts shuffling her feet forward, the jingling sounds of the cals perfectly harmonizing with other accompaniments. As she advances bit by bit, the right hand is fully stretched forward and left one is bent at the elbow, the palms describing gracefully circuits to resemble the movements of a creeper caused by a gentle breeze. After a few inches of space have thus been covered, the dancer rotates round herself from the right to the left, and with a light graceful jump brings this initial movement to a close. The dancer and the leader-singer then sing a line which is repeated in chorus by the group. There is no foot-work while the two sing, but when the line is repeated in chorus, the dancer tries to convey the contents by movements and expressions
Dindi dance.
Dindi Dance.
Some dances are danced more out of religious ecstasy and fervour than to give expression to an aesthetic feeling. The dindi dance which devotees or bhajanis of the Varkari cult engage in while going to a temple of Vithoba or taking part in a religious procession belongs to this kind. The participants generally fall in two rows facing one another, the mrdang player and the vina player who lead the dance being in between the rows. They click in rhythmic beat the tals held in their hands as they chant in chorus the names of Jnyanoba. and Tukaram or pick up the refrain of the bhajana given out by the leader-singer. And as they click and sing they dance in steady measured steps, all the while advancing towards the destination.
Some dances are danced more out of religious ecstasy and fervour than to give expression to an aesthetic feeling. The dindi dance which devotees or bhajanis of the Varkari cult engage in while going to a temple of Vithoba or taking part in a religious procession belongs to this kind. The participants generally fall in two rows facing one another, the mrdang player and the vina player who lead the dance being in between the rows. They click in rhythmic beat the tals held in their hands as they chant in chorus the names of Jnyanoba. and Tukaram or pick up the refrain of the bhajana given out by the leader-singer. And as they click and sing they dance in steady measured steps, all the while advancing towards the destination.
Phugadi.
Phugadi.
There are a number of dances performed on this occasion, the most popular and prominent being the phugadi. It is played generally by two but the number may even be up to eight if there is enough room. The dance movements of the pair are simple: The girls stand facing each other, keep their feet together with a distance of two or three inches between the toes, cross arms keeping them straight with a clasp of each other's palms, balance the body backward, and each time stepping the right foot a few inches to the right and sliding the left along with it start an anti-clockwise movement. As the footwork quickens, the movement gathers in tempo till the dancers get swung in a whirl. This goes on till one or both feel exhausted. There are many varieties of phugadi In dand-phugadi, instead of clasping palms they catch hold of the arms. In another, one stands while the other squats. In a variety known as jate, one is standing while the other keeps only the left or right toes on the ground, the other foot being placed on the opposite thigh. In bas-phugadi which is danced singly the dancer squats on toes and moves her legs forward alternately. With only one hand joined in a clasp the variety is known as ekhataci phugadi.
Group phugadis are danced by girls forming a ring either by crossing arms and catching palms of the neighbour on either side or by putting their arms on the shoulders of their neighbours. They move in a circle by taking short sideward steps generally in an anticlockwise direction. Group phugadi in a way though spectacular is cumbrous and lacks the vigour marked in a partnered phugadi.
Besides phugadis a variety of allied dance forms are displayed at a Manglagaur, e.g. naca-go-ghuma, a group dance danced by a girl known as ghuma [A girl who feigns unwillingness to join the dance.] standing with a sup (winnowing fan) in the centre of a circle formed by other girls. The ghuma, as she puts forth her complaints to the company alternately raises and lowers the sup before her face and also alternately raises her feet slightly changing direction each time; girls standing around her catch hold of the palms of their neighbours and move round taking short sideward steps keeping to the time of the song. Kombda is a sort of memetic dance, performed individually or in a group. The dancers place one knee over the other and keeping the palms interlocked on the upper knee go on jumping imitating the movements of a kombda (cock). Other dances performed at the time of Mangldgaur celebration are pinga, zimma, salunki salunki or pagadaphu, kis-bai-kis, kathot-kana and many others.
There are a number of dances performed on this occasion, the most popular and prominent being the phugadi. It is played generally by two but the number may even be up to eight if there is enough room. The dance movements of the pair are simple: The girls stand facing each other, keep their feet together with a distance of two or three inches between the toes, cross arms keeping them straight with a clasp of each other's palms, balance the body backward, and each time stepping the right foot a few inches to the right and sliding the left along with it start an anti-clockwise movement. As the footwork quickens, the movement gathers in tempo till the dancers get swung in a whirl. This goes on till one or both feel exhausted. There are many varieties of phugadi In dand-phugadi, instead of clasping palms they catch hold of the arms. In another, one stands while the other squats. In a variety known as jate, one is standing while the other keeps only the left or right toes on the ground, the other foot being placed on the opposite thigh. In bas-phugadi which is danced singly the dancer squats on toes and moves her legs forward alternately. With only one hand joined in a clasp the variety is known as ekhataci phugadi.
Group phugadis are danced by girls forming a ring either by crossing arms and catching palms of the neighbour on either side or by putting their arms on the shoulders of their neighbours. They move in a circle by taking short sideward steps generally in an anticlockwise direction. Group phugadi in a way though spectacular is cumbrous and lacks the vigour marked in a partnered phugadi.
Besides phugadis a variety of allied dance forms are displayed at a Manglagaur, e.g. naca-go-ghuma, a group dance danced by a girl known as ghuma [A girl who feigns unwillingness to join the dance.] standing with a sup (winnowing fan) in the centre of a circle formed by other girls. The ghuma, as she puts forth her complaints to the company alternately raises and lowers the sup before her face and also alternately raises her feet slightly changing direction each time; girls standing around her catch hold of the palms of their neighbours and move round taking short sideward steps keeping to the time of the song. Kombda is a sort of memetic dance, performed individually or in a group. The dancers place one knee over the other and keeping the palms interlocked on the upper knee go on jumping imitating the movements of a kombda (cock). Other dances performed at the time of Mangldgaur celebration are pinga, zimma, salunki salunki or pagadaphu, kis-bai-kis, kathot-kana and many others.
Manglagaur Dances.
Among Brahmans and other advanced classes, women after their marriage have to worship for the period of five years on each Tuesday of Sravana the goddess Parvati commonly known as Manglagaur. The puja ceremony and the feast is over by noon and by evening after light refreshments the real entertainment programme starts. It consists of a variety of folk-dances and lasts even till day-break, if the participants are enthusiastic. The whole show is purely a concern of females, and phugadis and other folk-dances displayed at the time can be called dances of the females.
DhaiKala dance. (Govinda dance)
The dance coming on the day next to Gokulastami is known as kala or dahikala or dahihandi when in imitation of the early life spent by Lord Krsna in the cowherd settlement at Gokul a handi containing curds milk etc. is ceremonially broken. The dancers or the so-called cowherd comrades of Srikrsna dressed in a mere loin-cloth and wielding clubs or lathis in their hands start in procession to visit different localities to break the handis that they may come across. They fall in a line more or less straight and are linked in a chain either by clasping palms or hooking arms with their neighbours. A khalu band [Consisting at least of three musicians to play on the sanai, the dhol and the timki.] provides the music. They dance the distance keeping the right foot forward and stepping with the same foot, while the left foot is dragged to make up the necessary space. The leader, and at times a few others occasionally whirl in the air the wooden clubs in their hands, singing out a marching song with the refrain' 'Govinda, ala re ala.' On arriving underneath a hanging handi, [An earthen pot hung in a temple or a prominent place at a respectable height generally beyond the reach of a man standing on the shoulder of another. It is decorated with a garland, and its usual contents are curds, milk, buttermilk, poha, turmeric, cocoanut, plantains and some coins.] the dancers form into a pyramidical formation of two or three tiers, a smart lad climbes the top tier grabs the handi, and breaks it. While the handi is being broken the whole formation is and has to be steady, but as soon as it is over, all climb down without order and the formation collapses. The participants place their arms on the shoulders of neighbours and slide and stamp their feet on the ground. Everyone tries to get under the water or buttermilk that is being poured over them and cries aloud 'Govinda, Govinda' making all types of frenzied and irregular movements in display of the kala or Govinda dance.
Dashavatari Khel.
A type of rural entertainment perhaps peculiar to this district is the kala or jatra performances, a form of Dashavataras—the folk-ballet of Konkan. They are usually staged on festive and jatra days, the season starting from Tripuri Paurnima, the full-moon day of Kartik. and continuing till the advent of rainy season. On Malvan side the members of dahikala or jatra parties locally known as Dashantris generally belong to the Devali caste. They associate into a dramatic club and give performances on invitation at fixed places on fixed days. On Sangameshwar side such actors are known as khele. The performance starts at about 10 p.m. and it is conventional that it must terminate at day-break with the breaking of handi — a pot full of curds, milk, etc.
The stage is an improvised one —a simple mandav (booth) about 12' X 16 and 10' high enclosed on three sides by jhamps (plaited cocoanut-leaves) often serves the purpose, A bench or two at the back accommodates the mrdang and harmonium players, and when required serves the purpose of ' throne', ' bed-stead', etc. A curtain is often held by two persons and is removed as the actors enter. The sutradhar who conducts the play takes his stand at one corner of the stage leaving the major portion of the stage at the disposal of the actors.
The programme begins with the invocation of Ganapati, the vighnaharta (remover of obstacles) and Saraswati, the goddess of learning. In this conventional first entry Ganapati is accompanied by Rddhi-Siddhis, his two consorts, who help him manage his big trunk and the two extra hands. He dances for a while in a zigzag way with shuffling steps, is offered worship and in return gives his blessings and retires. Then enters Saraswati with the peacock as her carrier. She gives a ' peacock dance' and retires. And now follows the demon Sankasura grotesquely dressed in a black cone-shaped mask, his eyebrows, nose and lips painted white. He is supposed to be a Brahman by caste, and while enacting a Brahmanic religious routine creates much fun by his mimicries and mockeries. Then enters god Krsna with whom Sankasura enters into a wordy tussle about ' caste hierarchy' which develops into a fight. Sankasura meets his ' death' at the hands of Krsna. The curtain is held and Sankasura disappears; Krsna gives a dance and retires.
Now starts the main item of the show, the enacting of a folk-opera. The theme is a puranic subject such as Usha-swapna, Draupadi-Vastraharana, Kicakavadha, Kaurav-Pandav Yuddha, etc. There is neither a script nor much of a 'plot'. Everyone is acquainted with the ' story' and the plot unfolds through extempore ' dialogues' and ' speeches", the individual actor using his freedom with skill and resourcefulness. What cannot be enacted is described in versified narrations by the sutradhara. The play has to last till daybreak and the time gaps are bridged over by interludes of songs and fights. The fights have to be danced over the stage and when there is a' kill' the curtain is held for the ' dead' to walk away from the stage. During the play one of the Rddhi-Siddhis moves in the audience with the devaci-trali or arati, Individuals put their contribution in the dish and bow. The play concludes with the ceremony of 'breaking the handi at the hands of the village ' honourables' (ganvkaris).
A type of rural entertainment perhaps peculiar to this district is the kala or jatra performances, a form of Dashavataras—the folk-ballet of Konkan. They are usually staged on festive and jatra days, the season starting from Tripuri Paurnima, the full-moon day of Kartik. and continuing till the advent of rainy season. On Malvan side the members of dahikala or jatra parties locally known as Dashantris generally belong to the Devali caste. They associate into a dramatic club and give performances on invitation at fixed places on fixed days. On Sangameshwar side such actors are known as khele. The performance starts at about 10 p.m. and it is conventional that it must terminate at day-break with the breaking of handi — a pot full of curds, milk, etc.
The stage is an improvised one —a simple mandav (booth) about 12' X 16 and 10' high enclosed on three sides by jhamps (plaited cocoanut-leaves) often serves the purpose, A bench or two at the back accommodates the mrdang and harmonium players, and when required serves the purpose of ' throne', ' bed-stead', etc. A curtain is often held by two persons and is removed as the actors enter. The sutradhar who conducts the play takes his stand at one corner of the stage leaving the major portion of the stage at the disposal of the actors.
The programme begins with the invocation of Ganapati, the vighnaharta (remover of obstacles) and Saraswati, the goddess of learning. In this conventional first entry Ganapati is accompanied by Rddhi-Siddhis, his two consorts, who help him manage his big trunk and the two extra hands. He dances for a while in a zigzag way with shuffling steps, is offered worship and in return gives his blessings and retires. Then enters Saraswati with the peacock as her carrier. She gives a ' peacock dance' and retires. And now follows the demon Sankasura grotesquely dressed in a black cone-shaped mask, his eyebrows, nose and lips painted white. He is supposed to be a Brahman by caste, and while enacting a Brahmanic religious routine creates much fun by his mimicries and mockeries. Then enters god Krsna with whom Sankasura enters into a wordy tussle about ' caste hierarchy' which develops into a fight. Sankasura meets his ' death' at the hands of Krsna. The curtain is held and Sankasura disappears; Krsna gives a dance and retires.
Now starts the main item of the show, the enacting of a folk-opera. The theme is a puranic subject such as Usha-swapna, Draupadi-Vastraharana, Kicakavadha, Kaurav-Pandav Yuddha, etc. There is neither a script nor much of a 'plot'. Everyone is acquainted with the ' story' and the plot unfolds through extempore ' dialogues' and ' speeches", the individual actor using his freedom with skill and resourcefulness. What cannot be enacted is described in versified narrations by the sutradhara. The play has to last till daybreak and the time gaps are bridged over by interludes of songs and fights. The fights have to be danced over the stage and when there is a' kill' the curtain is held for the ' dead' to walk away from the stage. During the play one of the Rddhi-Siddhis moves in the audience with the devaci-trali or arati, Individuals put their contribution in the dish and bow. The play concludes with the ceremony of 'breaking the handi at the hands of the village ' honourables' (ganvkaris).
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Laganatil Gondhal
Laganatil Gondhal
Gondhal Folk Art (Vidhi Nurtya)
watch the video of Laganatil Gondhal following Link :
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Kokani Most Faviourate Folk Art
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